The term phobia comes from the Greek “phobos”, which means aversion or fear. Most people have a basic idea of what phobia means, but they may not understand the nuances that make this an anxiety disorder, not just a natural response to scary things.
Sometimes, it’s natural to be afraid. If you were bitten by a poisonous spider, no one would blame you for wanting to stay away from spiders in the future. If you’ve never had a negative encounter with a spider but you start hyperventilating just thinking about them, even when they’re not in the room, that could be arachnophobia.
Causes of phobias aren’t always clear. Sometimes they stem from specific harmful encounters or childhood experiences. Sometimes it’s learned from parents or siblings. Some people may have genes that make them more likely to experience anxiety.
A phobia is not a natural fear. Even when it’s over something that can be dangerous, like spiders or heights, it’s totally out of proportion to the level of threat. The feeling of fear may completely overwhelm you, causing you to reorganize your entire life just to avoid potentially triggering situations.
It can be incredibly distressing to experience a phobia. It causes many of the symptoms associated with anxiety disorders on a more general level, such as lightheadedness, sweating and shortness of breath. It may cause your hands to shake or your heart to palpitate. You might feel nauseous. Sometimes these symptoms are mild; other times, they can be highly debilitating.
The impact of a phobia on your life may depend on what triggers it. If you’re phobic of needles, you’re not necessarily going to encounter them every day. If you have agoraphobia, or a fear of open spaces, it may be impossible to leave the house. When a phobia stops you from living your life, you may need to seek help from a behavioral therapist.
Just avoiding the source of the phobia may seem like the most obvious thing to do, but it doesn’t solve anything in the long term. Simpler phobias are often treated by exposure therapy, where you’re gradually introduced to triggering items or situations so you can learn to manage your response in a controlled way. More complex phobias may require more intensive psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy.
Anyone can suffer from a phobia, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from living your life.
